I cling to him for support and he buries his head in my neck. After a while he lifts my chin. “I’ve never felt anything like that,” he tells me, his mouth lifting slightly as his hooded gaze tells me how much he loves me.

“Neither have I,” I manage, relishing the feeling of his stubbled jaw against my skin.

He grins and then runs his fingers through my hair as his lips dance over mine.

I trace the rim of his collarbone, then wrap my arms around him as the water cascades over us. “I love you so much.”

He sighs contentedly and then whispers against my lips, “I’ve always loved you,” and his words echo with happiness through me because I know he has.

* * *

An hour later it’s almost time to leave. Soft music plays from the bedroom and when I glance up from the vanity, my heart beats that familiar thumping. Xander’s standing there with one shoulder propped against the wall, just watching me. He can say so much with just a look—the quirk of his mouth and the rise of his brow make my body flush all over.

“Will you zip my dress?” I ask him, trying not to drool at how incredibly hot he looks in his suit, with no tie, of course. Just like roses, he thinks wearing a tie with a suit is too expected. I turn around as he enters. Damp towels are on the floor from our shower, my makeup is scattered across the vanity, and my dress hangs on the hook behind the door.

Xander loves the dark blue sapphire satin because he says it matches my eyes. It’s short, sleeveless, and just about backless. First, letting his fingertips skim across my skin, he ties the cord that spans my back and holds the dress in place, and I shiver. He moves to the zipper at my side and with his finger he trails a line from my hip to under my arm. He takes his time zipping it and when he’s done he smooths the zipper with his palm and I can barely keep myself upright.

He’s quiet. Not saying a word. I turn around to face him and he’s pressing his fist into his mouth.

“You said you loved it?”

“Fuck, Ivy, it’s sexy as hell,” he growls.

I smile and blush at the same time.

“But don’t you think there’s a little too much skin showing in the back?” he asks.

This actually makes me laugh. I used to think he didn’t want me to show off my body because he didn’t like other guys to see it. But now I think I was wrong—it’s because him seeing so much skin drives him wild, and I love that! I step close to him. “I think it’s the perfect amount of skin,” I whisper hotly against his lips.

He catches my mouth and kisses me. “Yeah, for roving hands who want to feel you in places where they shouldn’t be,” he breathes, sliding a hand into the side of my dress and squeezing my breast.

Smiling, I say, “Trust me, you’re the only one thinking that way.”

I turn around and throw him a wink, but before I can move away his hands are on my hips and when I rock back against him, I can feel the heat and hardness of his cock beneath the layers of fabric. He mumbles something against my skin that sounds like, “Fuck, you’d think I was fourteen again,” but I don’t ask why because the softness of his mouth in my ear and the feel of his breath against my cheek is all I care about. He turns me around and anchors his hips to mine. He slips his arms around my waist and I place mine around his neck. His feet start to move in a slow circle—he’s dancing with me in the bathroom. I strain to hear the lyrics to the song playing as his fingers trace the exposed bumps of my spine. He draws me closer and I can smell his cologne—a mix of the sea, the sun, the earth, and a Mediterranean breeze. I breathe him in and become intoxicated by his scent.

“You smell so good,” I murmur in his ear.

“You like it? I wore it for you.”

“Mmm-hmmm . . .”

My head fits perfectly on his shoulder and I find all the comfort I need for the night ahead right here in him. His hands slide up the center of my back—the skin against skin contact makes me forget any apprehension I’m feeling. He suddenly dips me and pulls me back to him. “We have to go,” he murmurs. But instead of letting me go, he kisses me again.

“We have to go,” I breathe around his lips. I can feel his sexy smile against my mouth, but I somehow manage to break free and make my way back over to the vanity on shaky legs. I pick up my earrings—the sapphires that dangle with stars at the bottom. He grins at me as I put them in both ears. We stare at each other and I’m sure we’re both remembering the woman who gave me her earrings because she just knew I was going to be a star.

* * *

I’m still tingling when we get in the car. He hits the gas and takes off, but instead of taking a right to head toward the studio he takes a left. “Where are you going?”

“I’m sorry, baby. I have one stop I have to make before the party.”

About thirty seconds elapse and he pulls over. “Oh, I forgot one thing.” He grins as he pulls out the piece of fabric from Garrett’s yoga swing that he used as a blindfold when he took me to Niagara Falls. “You have to wear this.”

I look at him in surprise. “Why? I can’t see where you have to stop along the way?”

“Just turn around,” he tells me with a smirk, and I do. He ties the fabric around my head and kisses my hair.

I’m not sure how much time passes before he parks the car and turns the ignition off. I rest my hand on the door handle and he says, “Wait for me.”

He quickly opens my door and guides me out. I have no idea where we’re going. Soon I hear the click of a lock and we seem to be inside somewhere, but then I hear another click and we’re back outside. When I hear another lock open, I ask, “Xander, where are we?”

“We’re home, baby,” he says, and his deep, husky voice resonates against my skin. He quickly removes my blindfold and opens the ornate etched-glass door in front of us. I stand in shock as my eyes roam the very familiar room. The built-in window seat, ceiling fan, light blue walls, and bamboo wooden floor are still the same. It looks just like it did the very last time I set foot in it, twelve years ago, except that the countertops seem to have been upgraded to granite and track lighting now glows from the ceiling. But even with the minor changes there’s no mistaking this place he just called home.

“Home!” I cry, turning around to throw my arms around him. “You bought your grandparents’ old house? But how?” I ask.

His eyes meet mine and he doesn’t answer. Instead he drops to one knee, and I swear the butterflies actually flutter out of my stomach. My heart pounds and I’m a little nervous—no, a lot nervous. Xander’s eyes take in every inch of me, but my full attention stays locked on his tranquil hazel eyes. His gaze skims over my dress to the sapphires that never leave my ears, and then it settles on my eyes. In that moment I have no doubts about this man, my life, our life. He pulls a velvet box from his pocket and holds it out. My pulse races as he slowly lifts the lid. What I see in the velvet cushion brings tears to my eyes. The ring flashing so brilliantly there is the ring that his father gave his mother. He’s offering it to me—he wants me to be his wife. It’s simple and perfect and I always thought it was the most absolutely beautiful ring I’d ever seen.

“Will you marry me, Ivy Taylor?” he asks with the slow and easy smile that makes my heart melt every time.

“Yes!” I cry without a second thought, and drop to my knees next to him before he can even take the ring out of the box. I cradle his face in the palms of my hands and tears stream down my cheeks. “Yes, I will marry you,” I whisper. Then I kiss him. I kiss my prince charming with a long kiss that is full of meaning. I don’t want to ever stop kissing him. When I lean back to catch my breath I ask, “You bought your grandparents’ old house for us? How?”

“Luck, fate, destiny.” He shrugs. “Are you happy?”

“Yes!” I say. “Yes, yes, yes!”

His smile is as wide as mine, I’m sure. He nibbles my lip one more time and pulls me to my knees. We kneel together and hold each other and before we stand up he says, “Give me your hand.”

I extend my left hand and as he slides the large pear-shaped diamond on my finger, my other hand flies to my mouth. It’s perfect. The brilliance of the diamond is just so stunning, I’m completely surprised and so overwhelmed. My tears are still flowing and he softly says, “Stop crying. You’re not supposed to be crying.” His eyes are gleaming and he kisses my fingers so gently I feel like I’m floating on a cloud. I just want to hold him, smell him, feel him—forever.

* * *

We walk into the building where the unveiling of my new album, My Mended Heart, is taking place. Both of us are literally beaming. We’ve decided not to mention our engagement until the end of the evening, so I turn my ring backward for now. We’re a little late, but not much, and surprisingly Xander hasn’t looked at his watch or even mentioned it. His hand is on the small of my back as we enter the gala, and before we greet everyone I turn to him and mouth I love you. This is the album I always wanted to put out but never had the courage to—until he came back into my life. I allow myself to just stare at him—he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.

I breathe in the scent of the flowers that fill the room and then shift my gaze to admire the glimmer of light from the crystal chandeliers. The room looks as magical as the night already has been. Amazing Grace has been transformed from a concrete hangar into a glittering nightclub. With six crystal chandeliers, dozens of round tables, and more than a hundred vases of purple dahlias and, of course, a splash of ivy, compliments of Xander, this get-together feels more like a welcoming party than a release party.